

The disease causes a visibly swollen stomach, loss of appetite, and other digestive issues. Malawi bloat is rarely seen in other freshwater species.

The rock-dwelling mbuna and colorful peacock cichlids are also highly-susceptible to the disease. Malawi bloat is a disease that typically affects the many different species of cichlids that live in Lake Malawi, including the red empress.Regardless of the treatment plan, quarantine infected fish as soon as possible to prevent the spread of the disease Raising water temperature to 86☏ for three days or using copper-based medicine are the best ways to treat ich. This highly contagious malady is fatal if not treated in time. Ich, also known as white spot disease, is a parasitic disease that affects many freshwater species of fish.Similar to other fish, red empress cichlids can get a few diseases and infections, including: Poor water quality, stress, and lack of a nutritious diet put these fish at risk of becoming sick. The red empress is susceptible to common freshwater fish diseases. If the filter isn’t strong enough, there is a risk of water chemistry changes that could stress your fish. Red empress cichlids produce a lot of waste. Meet the specific tank requirements to ensure your fish are healthy, happy, and thriving.Ī powerful filtration system is necessary too. Red empress cichlids are hardy and easy to care for. Maylandia estherae (the Red Zebra mbuna, Red Zebra Cichlid, or Esther Grant's Zebra) is a haplochromine cichlid.It is a rock dwelling fish or mbuna from Lake Malawi.This fish, like most cichlids from Lake Malawi, is a mouthbrooder - females hold their fertilized eggs then fry in their mouths until they are released after about 21 days. Tank Conditions Water type: Hard, freshwater Tank size: 75-gallon minimum, 100-gallon preferred Water temperature: 73–82☏ (23- 28☌) Substrate: Sand, rocks Tank setup: Plants, any type of rock, artificial decor Acidity: 7.7–8.6 pH level Water hardness: 5–15 dGH Filter: Yes, red empress cichlids create a lot of waste and need a strong filtration system Air pump: Yes, these fish prefer moving waters and a high-quality air pump can mimic these conditions inside the tank Plants like Vallisneria, Anubias, and Java fern are good tank additions that the red empress won’t uproot. Vertically placed rocks and rocks arranged horizontally in the tank mimic the red empress cichlid’s natural environment and also serve for spawning. These fish like to swim in the middle and lower levels of the tank, so leave plenty of space for swimming. Use rock and some wood to create hiding places in the aquarium. Red empress cichlids are sand sifters so the bottom of their tank must be covered in sand. The bottom of Lake Malawi is covered in sand, rocks, and plants.
